24 Awesome Minute to Win It Games for Kids

You’re not just mom. You’re also the resident event planner, and you’re on the hunt, searching for fun games for kids. And that’s where minute to win it games come in. Even if you never watched the television show, you can still use these kooky, completely creative and fabulously fun games during your child’s next birthday bash, school picnic or holiday party. Scroll down to see them all.

1. Defying GravityUp and away! Using one hand, kids keep their balloon in the air for one minute. If this is too easy, for the half-pints you can add two balloons (or more!). Remember, no resting a balloon on a body part.

2. Cookie FaceThis is by far one of the favorites of kids just about everywhere. Not only do they get to play a super-silly game, but it’s all done with cookies. Cookies! Place a regular ol’ sandwich cookie on the child’s forehead. They’ll need to use their facial muscles to move it down their face and into their mouth—without using their hands.

3. Dice BalanceMinute to Win It games get dicey striking a balance on a popsicle stick. The kids over at Paging Fun Mums try to see how many dice they can get on the stick in one minute (the most dice wins!). It's a little tricky and super fun to watch!

4. Sticky SituationThis popular game requires players to bounce a ping pong ball just right, in order to land it on a piece of bread slathered in peanut butter. See the full instructions here.

5. Nose DiveThe secret weapon in this game? Petroleum jelly dabbed on the nose. Using their noses (no hands allowed) in this minute to win it game, players must move five cotton balls from one bowl to another, before the minute is up.

6. This BlowsIf you’re looking for a minute to win it game that your tween or teen will still get a kick out of, this one really doesn’t blow. Each player has one minute to blow up a balloon and then use the air that’s inside of it to knock over as many plastic cups as they can. If they still have time on the clock they can repeat the steps to blow down any leftover cups.

7.Stack AttackThis one might not be as tasty as cookie face, but it's still pretty popular. Give the kids one single stack of 36 plastic cups. Each child gets one minute to stack all of the cups into a pyramid and then unstack them, making a single column again.

8. Johnny ApplestackHow about them apples? Another fun stacking games for kids using fruit from the kitchen—apples. Little ones have one minute to stack five apples (or three for younger kids) on top of each other and stay for three seconds.

9. ChandelierLight up the fun! You'll need 15 empty soda cans and four paper plates. Kids have one minute to stack cans with paper plates in between to see how high they can go.

10. Doughnut ChewA piece of cake! Of all the minute to win it games, kids will eat this one up. First, tie a string around a doughnut, then hang it between two chairs. Littles need to eat the doughnut within a minute without it falling to the floor.

11. Penny TowerHow many pennies can your child stack in one minute? If they just guessed a million, they’re not exactly right. The trick to this game is that the child can only use one hand. And believe us, that makes it oh-so-challenging.

12. Nut StackerIt’s almost like the penny game, just slightly more difficult. Instead of stacking coins with one hand, each child has one minute to stack hex nuts onto a wooden stick or dowel.

13. Junk in the TrunkEach player will need a tissue box, pantyhose, and ten ping pong balls. Put the ping pong balls in each tissue box. Then, tie the boxes around each player. Kids have one minute to shake out (no hands) as many balls as they can.

14. Movin' On UpStack up 25 plastic cups of one color and put in 1 cup of a different color at the bottom. Half-pints move the top cup to the bottom and see how far they can move the single-colored cup to the top in one minute.

15. Noodling AroundStart this minute to win it game with one strand of uncooked spaghetti. The player puts the end of the dry noodle in their mouth. She then has 60 seconds to pick up six uncooked pieces of penne pasta—with the spaghetti. Oh, and without using her hands!

16. Scoop It UpMove six ping pong balls from one bowl to another, using only a spoon. Again, like some of the other minute to win it games, the kids can’t use their hands. Instead, each child will use a spoon—in their mouth.

17. Cereal ScrambleCut the front of a cereal box into equal pieces. Stack the pieces into a flat tower and set a timer for one minute. Each child has their own minute to piece the cereal box together.

18. Penny HoseTake two of the pennies that you used for the Penny Tower game and place one at each end of a pair of pantyhose. In other words, put the pennies in the toes. The child puts one hand in each side and must get the pennies out in under one minute.

19. Card NinjaTweens and teens will get a giggle out of this minute to win it game. Slice a watermelon in half, securing it on a table or other flat surface. Give the kids cards to throw (kind of like throwing stars). Whoever gets the most cards into the melon in one minute wins.

20. Puddle JumperSet up a series of plastic cups. Fill them to the top with water and set a ping pong ball on the first in the row. The kids need to blow the ball from the first cup to the second. Keep going with more balls, racing to see who moves the most in one minute.

21. Peep Face GameGot extra peeps? We love this twist on the cookie minute to win it that's a fun game for kids at Easter. Sunflower mom gives her little chicks one minute to stick as many peeps as they can to their face! Little bunnies think this game is funny.

22. Keep it UpAs light as a feather! Little players keep two feathers in the air for one minute (or as long as they can). The catch is they can just use their breath. To make it easier for younger kids, they can use a stra

23. Go Fish!Whether it's crackers or mini marshmallows, this fun game for kids is easy to do. You'll need straws and two plates. Little gamers have one minute (to win it!) to see how many fish they can transfer from one plate to another with the suction from the straw and no hands. Good luck!

24. Spin DoctorGive it a spin! As far as a minute to win it games go, tweens find this tons of fun. A player spins a coin on the table. A second player stops the coin with one finger on its edge (upright!). Either player can spin the coin, and it's a win when you stop the coin for three seconds within a minute.